But times have changed. Documents and other important information are now available on the Internet. It just takes a couple of keywords, links and clicks to access them. Hence, the discerning public can now make better-informed opinions.

Now, as we take on the hefty task of deconstructing the old public mindset, it is important to begin with the right frame of mind: Hubert Webb is innocent until proven guilty.

Then, let us challenge our frame of mind by applying logic on hard facts. Such that:

1. IF HUBERT WEBB IS GUILTY, then he must be in the scene of the crime when the Vizconde killings happened.

2. record of entry which includes an F.B.I. report, a note verbal issued by the U.S. government signed by Secretary of State Madeline Albright stating that Hubert Webb was in the U.S. Testified to by no less than both Foreign Affairs Secretary Domingo Siazon and Consul General Leo Herrera Lim

(certification from US Immigration and naturalization service signed (w seal) by Madelaine Albright, Warren Christopher and Atty. General Janet Reno verified proofs/documents by US state secretary (Albright) and FBI (Bob Heafner)

3. records of his stay which include:

Videos - one in Disneyland (testified to by a complete stranger who saw Freddie Webb and decided to take his video, with Hubert seen on the background). Another at Lake Tahoe where he was seen playing in the snow. And lastly, another video at a cousins wedding ceremony.

Records of employment in the form of several encashed checks in his name Hubert Jeffrrey Webb before and after the crime.

California Drivers License aquired during his stay, certified by the Department of Motor Vehicles California.

4. records of his departure from the U.S. which includes again the certification from the U.S. stating his date of departure, airline manifest testified by an authority from Philippine Airlines and passport showing entry into the Philippines. These only prove he was in the United States four months prior and fifteen months after the massacre occured. Hubert has only one record of going to the U.S. He left Manila on March 1991 and arrived back to the Philippines October 1992.

5. Normal White and Justo Cabanacan (BF Homes security guards) - Cabanacan testified that he flagged down the vehicle of Hubert Webb because it did not have the local village sticker around the last week of May or the first week of June 1991; did not ask for ID nor logged Hubert Webb as visitor since he was the son of then Cong. Freddie Webb, a well-known man

6. Lauro Vizconde - testified that in one of his phone conversations with Carmela when he was still in the USA, Carmela mentioned to him that she had turned down a suitor whom she called "Bagyo," who is a son of a politician in Paranaque and comes from an affluent family. (Carmela never mentioned the identity of the suitor.)

1. Atty. Artemio Sacaguing (NBI) - testified that Alfaro was supposed to bring someone who witnessed the Vizconde killings (as relayed by NBI agent Cresencio "Jun" Nombres) but instead volunteered herself as eyewitness when she could not produce the witness

2. Judge Antonio Carpio (not yet in SC at time of trial) - testified that he had a phone conversation with Sen. Freddie Webb on June 29, 1991 where the latter mentioned that he and his wife were looking for a job for Hubert Webb

8. Gary Valenciano (performing artist) - testified that he was introduced to Hubert Webb at the Rodriguez residence in Orlando, Florida, USA in Novermber 1991

Remarks

1. Alfaro, along with housemaids and security guard, is said to have emerged as witnesses only 4 years after the crime.

2.Alfaro has 2 affidavits dated April 28 and May 22, 1995, which contradict on the ff. items:

a. knowing Carmela prior to the date of the killings;

b. seeing the dead bodies;

c. seeing the alleged rape of Carmela

d. how Webb, Lejano and Ventura entered the house

e. if Alfaro entered the house

3. Court and DOJ Panel ruled that misdescription and inconsistencies did not erode Alfaro’s credibility.

4. DOJ Panel rules that alibi cannot prevail over the positive identification made by a prosecution witness. … claim of alibi is mainly supported by friends and relatives.

5. As per CA, time and space as requisites of acquittal are not supported by clear and convincing evidence; dates of departure and arrival in passport does not fully entail that Hubert Webb is not in the Philippines on June 30, 1991.

6. US Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) certifications, dated August 10 and 31, 1995, respectively, were given little weight by both RTC and CA because of the purported omissions or oversights of certain Phil. or US Officials: (a) Aug 10 cert stated that there was no entry/exit of Hubert Webb on June 29, 1991; (b) Aug 31 cert stated Hubert Webb entered USA on 09 March 1991 and departed only on 26 October 1992. Testimony of Sec. Domingo Siazon, Jr. was deemed to prove the physical receipt and transmittal of docs. but not their content. (See Col B Row 2 #2)

2.As per Fritz Webb, brother of Hubert Webb, the NBI presented 2 housemaids (and 2 security guards) but only 1 housemaid showed up during the trial. (Addendum as per CA 2005, only White testified.)

3. Defense questioned Alfaro's credibility on the ff. grounds:

a. Contents of Alfaro’s first affidavit;

b. Alfaro’s motive in testifying against Hubert Webb et. Al. – Alfaro allegedly admitted that brother Patrick Alfaro was a drug addict and was arrested once by the NBI for illegal possession of drugs and that he is presently in the United States

4. Alfaro was said to be a former NBI asset who was quoted by then NBI Head Agent Artemio Sacaguing saying, “Sir, papapelan ko yan…"

5. Housemaids agency owner’s records show that the maids were no longer with the Webbs when the killings happened on June 30, 1991.

6. Re: INS certifications. Justice Dacudao, in his dissenting opinion, believes that omission was adequately explained by defense; oversight because the rules on protocol and standard procedure were not religiously observed by Phil and US officials.

7.None of the evidences presented by Hubert Webb were proven false or refuted by the Prosecution.

2. IF HUBERT WEBB IS GUILTY, then his DNA should match the semen samples found in the scene of the crime.

But apparently, the semen specimen cannot be located.

Here are the events that took place:

• October 1997 - Hubert Webb requested DNA testing of semen specimen• November 25, 1997 – RTC Judge Tolentino denied Hubert Webb’s motion for DNA Testing- Reason was “the proposed DNA examination would not serve the ends of justice but only lead to the complication and confusion of the case”• April 20, 2010 – SC granted Hubert Webb’s request for DNA testing• NBI claimed that semen specimen is no longer in its custody – claiming that the specimen was handed to trial court• Trial court denied NBI claim• October 2010 – Hubert Webb files an urgent motion for acquittal on the ground that he has been denied “the fullest extent of his constitutional right to due process” because the State can no longer produce the semen specimen that was in its custody.

Is Hubert Webb guilty? The decision is left on the discretion of the reader.

* * *

Deconstructing public opinion is a giant task that ironically requires a simple process. Similarly, the Vizconde-cum-Hubert Webb case should not have been as complicated as it had been if everyone remained true to the essence of the quest for justice for the Vizcondes.

Hopefully, with all these details at hand, the public will be in a better position to make opinions. At the same time, further research on the case - from both sides - is encouraged. May vigilance encourage the SC to come up with a fair and reasonable decision.

23 comments:

Please note that Webb et al. were the "3rd" group of suspects. The PNP-Metro Manila police had a set of suspects that were acquitted, NBI under Director Velasco investigated an engineer who had his prints match prints from a lightbulb in the said residence of the victims. Said case did not prosper. NBI anti-organized crime division first investigated using ALfaro and later dropped her. It was NBI- Task Force Jecares who picked up said case and pushed for the prosecution.

hi, i'm doing a paper on acquittal based on loss of exculpatory evidence. where can i find the full text copies of CA and SC resolutions/decisions on the case? i cant seem to find any online. thanks. :)

Hi, I just made this post beefier by adding more details. I've been monitoring my blog visitors and it seems that those who click on this post are interested to know more about the Case. [popular keywords in search: Hubert Webb, Vizconde, story behind Vizconde, Hubert Webb innocent, Hubert Webb guilty, facts on Vizconde, etc.]

Gladly, we are not stuck in the older version of technology. How are we gonna find out all these things without all the combined effort of those people who believe Hubert is not part of this horrendous crime 2 decades ago. Unfortunately he was the one that need to sacrifice to proved how politics can manipulate JUSTICE...

Hi Joyce since you post the dissenting opinion you should also post the source for the two CA decisions which went against Webb et al., that's how an inquiring mind can make up their mind. Here are the decisions I refer to;

You're welcome, but I doubt whther you post anything from those documents here. You've already made your mind up based primarily on what you've been fed by the Justice for Hubert group. You'll never make a real reporter except for gossip based media.

Ok, so I go to the trouble of setting up a fictitious account and decide to call myself Louie Stavropoulos, now there's a nice greek name. Prove I'm this very person. So tell me whats the difference then between me saying I'm anonymous or Louie. I mean really, put the lipstick and high heels back on!

Actually, come to think of it you can actually adjust your settings to prevent people from posting as anonymous. That would then solve your issue with anonymous posters. The problem then is you wouldn't have many if any posters, and there in lies the problem with EGO.

You could also add this on the 2nd column as one of those who testified for Hubert was a bicycle store owner where in he states that Hubert bought a bicycle on the day of the crime. http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=495548458242&oid=115489978501905

been following this case since it happened. i was still then in high school and such incident really brought an impact on everyone's life. the agony of a man who lost his wife and kids. the agony of the family of the accused on seeing their love one incarcerated. now as a grown up and with a bit of knowledge regarding law, i would say that there has been a lot of lapses in prosecuting the case, one thing that really catch everyone's eye when perusing over your article is the lack of material evidences on the prosecution side and the non appreciation of the evidence presented by the defense. if for the sake of argument the prosecution claimed that the material evidences especially the travel documents where fake then why is it that the prosecution did not rebut on said presentation why where they not able to present proofs that those were just a product of malicious doing on the part of the defense? there are so many why's but still in the span of 15 years those were not answered and still hounding us mere spectators. my heart goes out to mang lauro and also to the webb family. if only the investigation was done thoroughly and just did not rely on the testimony of one witness who to the people right now is being questioned her credibility and who we question right now on her reasons why she testified then things would have been resolved earlier and life has not been wasted. losing 15 years of life is heartbreaking as well as losing your love ones is the same. there are so many if only's in this case. but on ending i would say that the decision acquitting webb and company was a reasonable one. one question again.... did the prosecution really give it there all in prosecuting the case? and may i quote mang lauro " kung hindi sila, sino"? again questions....

The Vizconde Massacre is a harrowing story of violence inflicted against women; a proof that it happens even inside one's own home in a gated community of a bustling city. The brutal killings of the Vizconde women stunned the nation and started a serious quest for justice.

Thinking about it, the DOJ and the NBI once again failed to answer the 20-year old question: Who killed the Vizcondes?

My beef on this is that for as long as the case remains unsolved and notwithstanding the fact that the NBI, RTC and CA yielded questionable findings and decisions, will there ever be true justice for the Vizconde women?

And to cap this, here's another quote:

Justice should not be about putting men behind bars just for the sake of naming perpetrators.

Explore Other Worlds

Welcome to WoW!

Image by Salvatore Vuono

A Woman for Others

Now 30,Joyce Talag continues to rock her heels as she performs her many roles as a woman.

In the last seven years, she has passionately championed causes in the development sector, particularly in the practice of corporate social responsibility and family philanthropy. Her growing advocacies for gender balance, healthy lifestyle, sustainable living, and psycho-spiritual wellness reflect the depth of her insights and the creative ways that she takes to cope with life's challenges.

More than anything else, Joyce takes pride in being a hands on solo parent and hopes to inspire women to embrace their womanity.